The following is a description of three types of vacuum cleaners which differ in design and operation. All of them have, as common features, a motor-driven fan, a dust collection chamber, and one or more floor treatment devices which are each adapted for a particular purpose.
The canister vacuum cleaner has a housing which can be moved on the floor to be cleaned on wheels and/or runners. The housing contains the motor-fan unit and the dust collection container. The floor treatment device, here referred to as floor nozzle, is connected to the dust collection chamber via a suction hose, and possibly a suction wand connected therebetween. During vacuuming, the housing is moved to the desired position by pulling on the suction wand.
In a stick vacuum cleaner, the motor-fan unit and the dust collection container are also disposed in a housing. A suction wand extends from one end of the housing, connecting the floor nozzle to the dust collection container, and a handle used to maneuver the housing to the desired position extends from the other end.
Uprights do not have as strictly divided a configuration as the two aforementioned types. One feature of an upright is a movable base unit which carries an upper body containing a large dust collection container. The two parts are tiltable relative to each other and can usually be locked in a parked position in which the upper body is nearly upright when the base unit is located on a horizontal floor in a position of use. In this position, the upright stands unsupported. During vacuuming, the above-described locked engagement is released, and the upper body is tilted through a certain angle to an operating position. The tilt angle depends on the height of the user and on the particular purpose of use. A handle is provided on the upper body for maneuvering the entire appliance. A suction device in the form of a motor-fan unit may be mounted at different locations. In WO 2007/008770 A2, for example, the fan is secured directly to the upper body. This reduces the ease-of-use because this heavy component produces a torque about the tilt point, which the user must counteract throughout the vacuuming operation. In WO 2004/014209 A1 and EP 0 708 613 A1, the fan is configured to be a separate unit. Providing a point of rotation between the upper body and the upper region of the fan (EP 0 708 613 A1), or mounting the fan in a rotatable, spherical housing (WO 2004/014209 A1) enables the upright to move along curved paths, thereby improving maneuverability. The motor-fan unit may also be located in the base unit. In such upright cleaners, the articulated connection between the base unit and the upper body is provided by a hinge-like structure. In the aforementioned designs, two air conduits are required between the base unit or the fan and the upper body, since the dirt-laden air must be passed from the suction mouth to the dust collection container, and the cleaned air must be directed back to the fan. The air passageway can be provided by flexible hoses extending from the base unit or from the fan to the upper body. The aforesaid hoses are installed in the lower portion of the upright, where they frequently touch furniture having sharp edges as the upright is moved about. In such situations, the hoses can easily be damaged. Moreover, these hoses are cost-creating components which are difficult to install.